Church of Scotland Guild launches Bolivian climate change project.

“It is important to protect our forest in the Amazon. Otherwise, I do not know what will become of us. We live next to the Beni river, the forest is right there. We would love to protect our forests, because they are the lung, not only of Bolivia, but for other countries as well.”

Bolivia is one of the poorest and most unequal countries in South America. Millions of people live in difficult conditions, struggling to survive. The Bolivian Amazon is one of the most bio-diverse regions in the world, yet it is increasingly under threat from deforestation. Deforestation coupled with climate change has left communities who rely of the forest for survival vulnerable, as crops flood and livelihoods are lost. Women very often have to spend hours every day collecting firewood for cooking. Not only does this prevent them from engaging in other activities, but when the forest is under water it becomes difficult to get wood for cooking and families are unable to even boil water. Through Christian Aid partners, this project will work with over 700 families to educate them about climate change and support them to build and use solar powered ovens enabling families to eat year round. Partnering with the Church of Scotland on Bolivia, Christian Aid Scotland will use this story to link Guilds to our current work on climate change and give practical ways to get involved.